Shoe



May 1, 1934.

F. VANDEWATER SHOE Filed Aug. 23, 1933 Patented May 1, 1934 UNlTED STATES PATENT QFFECE In the many inventions which have been made on the subject of shoes and particularly on the subject of arch supporters therefor, this character of invention has been treated either as detached arch supports or as built-in structures wherein the shoe and support are a unit.

The invention described herein has for an object the construction of a shoe incorporating an arch support, which, although constituting a unitary structure, incorporates the arch supporting portion in a manner such that it is independent of the upper of the shoe for its functioning, constitutes a part of the sole as well as the upper, performs to secure the shoe to the wearers foot and yet maintains as flexible and yielding a foot enclosing agency as does the shoe upper.

These and other objects are attained in the shoe now to be described and which has been 0 illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a shoe incorporating an arch support construction embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the manner in which my improved unitary shoe and arch support construction functions.

The shoe I have illustrated is of conventional type and structural detail except in so far as it incorporates an arch support of my invention. The shoe I have shown has an outer eyeleted flap l1 and an inner flap 12 which is also eye-. leted, but the two flaps distinguish from each other in the respect that flap 11 forms an extension of one side 13 of the shoe upper, while the cooperating flap 12 is not a part of the opposite side of the shoe upper 14, but, instead, is an entirely separate element having attachment by any means at its inner edge to the inner wall of upper 13 at or above the region of the union. of said side 13 with sole 15 as at 16, whereby the flap 12 is positioned to extend loosely across the inner surface of the outsole 15 to the other side of upper 14. A partial insole 17 serving the purpose of a splint is mounted on and attached to flap 12. A strap 18 forming a. loop is attached to the wall of upper 14 whereby the eyeleted end of the fastening flap may be inserted therethrough and drawn upwardly, or the flap 12 may be passed through a wide slot cut longitudinally in the loose lining and upwardly through said loose lining and the inside wall of shoe upper 14 to dispense with loop strap 18 if so desired.

The functioning of the flap 12 takes place when a shoe lace 19 is tightened in the eyelets 20 of the shoe flaps. Lacing of the shoe causes outer side 11 of the shoe upper to be drawn snugly against the entire outer side of the foot thereby affording the support so essential to the ankle, while flap 12 is drawn tightly with the partial portion of the insole attached thereto acting as a splint, upwardly beneath the foot arch and against its inner side, thereby holding upwardly said arch in bound support in aid of the weakened arch of the foot. As this tightening takes place the strap 18 serves to hold side upper 14 against bulging and aids in maintaining the shoe in comfortable position on the foot of the wearer.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A shoe comprising a sole, an upper having an eyeleted fastening flap integral with one side of the shoe, the corresponding opposite side of the shoe being free of an integral eyeleted extension, an eyeleted fastening flap attached to the shoe in position to extend loosely across the inner surface of the sole and the opposite side of the shoe, an insole mounted on said flap, a strap forming a loop attached to the opposite side of the upper whereby the eyeleted end of the fastening flap may be inserted therethrough and drawn upwardly, and tightening means through the eyelets to enable the flaps to be drawn together to uplift the arch of the foot of the wearer.

2. A shoe comprising a sole, an upper having an eyeleted fastening flap integral with one side of the shoe, the corresponding opposite side of the shoe being free of an integral eyeleted ex- 99 tension, an eyeleted fastening flap attached to the shoe in position to extend loosely across the inner surface of the sole and the opposite side of the shoe, two substantially parallel slits in the lining of the opposite side of the upper whereby the eyeleted flap end may be inserted therethrough and drawn upwardly between the walls of the lining and upper, and tightening means through the eyelets to enable the flaps to be drawn together to uplift the arch of the foot 100 of the wearer.

FRANK VANDEWATER. 

